New Shun 1730

The help of the two cruisers cannot be said to be small, and even made Dupleix feel happy with an unexpected surprise.

If the fleet of Dashun is stationed in Pondicherry to deter the British fleet and prevent it from gathering, then these two cruisers will play a vital role in the capture of Madras.

Cruisers are very suitable for chasing merchant ships and can be used to cut off the sea supply of Madras. Even if it cannot be captured for a while, as long as the sea supply line is cut off, the British will have to surrender after a siege for a period of time. The most feared thing about siege is that the supply line cannot be cut off.

As for the various conditions proposed by Mantou, Dupleix certainly agreed.

In Dupleix's view, the grand public ceremony is to prevent Dashun from being used by France and involved in the war.

If the French insist on planting the flag of Dashun on the two warships, it will be unclear.

However, Mantou knows in his heart that Liu Yu has also told him that this is not only helping France, but also flirting with Britain.

It's very simple.

If the fleet of Dashun really chose to join the war, then with such a great advantage now, it could have joined the war directly and captured several British cities in one wave.

But Dashun did not help directly, but leased two ships to France openly. If the British had some smart and intelligent people, they would have seen clearly that this was Dashun's attitude: Dashun could not fight this war, this is a matter between you and the French.

The British should understand this diplomatic attitude more easily than the French.

This is to prevent the British from worrying that Dashun would attack Luzon, causing George Anson to dare not let the fleet leave Luzon.

At the same time, in order to make Britain feel pressure in the future, even if Dashun reiterated its neutral policy, Britain should consider that when competing with France for India, Dashun would lease some things to France again to strengthen France's power.

This would force Britain to increase its troops in India to maintain the balance of power under the premise of "Dashun is neutral, but will lease warships and even soldiers to France from time to time", rather than only considering the balance of power advantage under the French state.

This is also a trap for the French. Originally, the Palace of Versailles was not enthusiastic about India. If Dupleix asked for more troops, the Palace of Versailles would also ask: Didn't our allies support you? Why do you need more troops?

In addition, there is the problem of the situation in Europe. If you want to be favorable to Dashun, France can only lose in North America and India, not win; Britain can only win in North America and India, not lose.

If Britain loses in North America and India, and Hanover, the king's testicle, is held by France on the European continent, then the balance will really be broken.

On the other hand, if France loses in North America and India, as long as the European continent still has an advantage, it can be exchanged back to temporarily maintain the balance. If France really loses all its colonies, why does France still have so many fleets? It should just be honest with continentalism and fight against the European countries to form an anti-French alliance. Winning or losing is not good for Dashun, but it may support the British.

This delicate balance is exactly what Dashun's diplomacy with Europe must accurately grasp.

Although Liu Yu hates the Anglo-Saxons, he is also quite wary of France. Especially the French Colbert national industrialism, which gave the French an overall advantage. France would certainly support its own industry. The trade volume between France and Dashun was like the hair of a 50-year-old man. If France achieved overall dominance, it would be even more difficult for Dashun to enter the European market.

Mantou was the executor of Liu Yu's strategic decision-making. He recognized and understood this whole set of strategies. He would try his best to achieve the delicate balance that Liu Yu expected.

Dupleix could also think of the deep reasons why Dashun wanted to lease two warships to France in a big way. After weighing from his perspective, he chose to accept it instead of refusing it. Because he did not expect Dashun to help France fight the war. The so-called friendship between the two countries was nothing more than mutual use.

After the two sides reached an agreement on this issue, they did not even sign a treaty. They verbally agreed on the amount of compensation if the warship was damaged.

After sending Mantou away, Dupleix looked at the map of India on his desk and conceived his own strategy.

After he came to prominence in Guangzhou to preside over the reorganized French East India Company's trade with China, and with his father's status as a member of the board of directors, he had basically been designated as the French governor-general in India.

Now that he has officially taken over, he will start his own grand plan.

In his view, Britain occupies Mumbai in India and has a huge influence in northern India. But the British have problems in strategy.

Dupleix was the first person to train Indian soldiers. After observing these people, he believed that good military discipline and new equipment were much more important than the number of people. The huge army of Indian princes and governors could no longer be the enemy of a small but sophisticated European army.

The advantage of the European army is not race, but training, logistics and a complete set of tactical systems. If the Indians can be trained according to the French army, then the French East India Company will have an absolute advantage in India.

French uniforms, French officers, French ordnance, French drill manuals, French passwords. Except for the Indian soldiers, everything from logistics to passwords is French.

If France could have about 5,000 such native soldiers, it could continue to expand its power.

His opponent, the British, did not train Indian native soldiers at this time. Instead, they cooperated with Indian princes and fought with a small number of British troops in conjunction with the old army of the Indian governor.

In Dupleix's view, this was clearly wrong. Moreover, Dupleix believes that the British lacked sufficient strategic vision and were unable to keenly grasp the short-sightedness and traitorous mentality of the Indian princes and nobles regarding the situation in India. They either chose hostility or cooperation, and did not intervene in the internal affairs of Jiedu. The idea of ​​fighting.

Judging from the results of later generations, Dupleix's strategic vision was quite good. Just like France's 74-gun battleship, which was captured by the British and carried forward in the UK, Dupleix's "local soldiers" and "supporting agents" strategies were eventually carried forward by the British in India, and the effect was remarkable.

But at this time, the British neither trained the native soldiers nor participated in the internal fighting of the Jiedushi. In Dupleix's view, he was certainly an unqualified governor.

He felt that he had a huge advantage.

…………

After returning to his residence to rest, Mantou also discussed future issues in India with his deputy Du Feng.

When he was in Guangzhou, Liu Yu had a secret conversation with them. Judging from the emperor's attitude, we can basically determine some future candidates.

Du Feng is most likely to become the Governor of Ceylon, under the command of the Nanyang Governor, under the control of the imperial supervisory army, and presiding over the front-line operations against India.

The reason why Du Feng is considered a suitable candidate stems from the acquaintance between Du Feng and Liu Yu and from an unsuccessful robbery.

In India, we need people who are bolder and lack enough morals. Although he has been quite well-behaved in recent years, for a person who has believed that "robbery" is a normal extra income since he was a child, it is easy to imagine what he can do once he is freed from restraint.

The emperor also meant the same thing. If he changed his country and returned to his hometown, it would not be the turn of distant India. You can't predict the year of the monkey in Southeast Asia, but India is simply a piece of fat meat from someone else's house. Eat it if you can take a bite, and run away if it hurts your teeth.

The candidates for the Governor of Ceylon and the Governor of Nanyang must be in line with the strategy of competing for India, and there are only a few people who can be selected.

Within the scope of these people, Du Feng has a history of "robbery", and he is also courageous enough. For the sake of fame, he dared to follow Liu Yu to do great things and fight for fame in Heilongjiang. This kind of person is indeed a suitable candidate. .

Used in India, it is considered the right place to use it, and it is in line with the emperor's employment skills.

When Du Feng was caught robbing Liu Yu, he decisively followed Liu Yu and led the soldiers to attack the Rakshasa Castle. He was admitted to Wude Palace but jumped to Jinghai Palace because of what Liu Yu said at the beginning: It is easier to find a feudal lord at sea. The battle on land is not your turn. The battles that are easy to fight have a bunch of noble men in the capital waiting to be gilded; the battles that are hard to fight... have basically been fought on land.

Now it seems that we are getting closer and closer to our goal. Although the position of Governor of Ceylon has not yet been definitely obtained, and it is only a possibility, we have finally taken the first step.

Before, whether he was on the banks of Heilongjiang, fighting against Japan, or training in the navy in Lingdingyang, there was someone above his head. The only time I was in Ezo was that I thought I would finally be able to take advantage of the vast sea, I thought I would grab a wave of Sendai and do something big, but in the end I still focused on the overall situation and transported all the marines in my hand to Busan.

Now I finally have an opportunity where I can be on the front line and I can go out and do it. I feel that I am one step closer to becoming a lord.

I often hear Liu Yu tell the stories of the colonists and conquerors, such as Pizarro's 600 people conquering the Inca, and Yermak's 800 people destroying the Siberian Khanate.

He felt that it didn't give him a chance. If he had it, he might not be able to do it. When he was fighting Japan, if he hadn't focused on the overall situation, he felt that he could have brought trouble to the Date clan.

Steamed Bun asked him his views on the Indian issue, and Du Feng answered simply.

"Dupleix's native soldiers can be used as well by the French as they are by the British. There is no need for us to use them. The Chinese in Ceylon and Southeast Asia have enough populations. If there were millions of French or British in India, I don’t think they will recruit soldiers.”

"As for how to fight, it's easier. Pull together one faction and fight another. If there is a conflict, go and find a weaker platform. If there is no conflict, create a conflict and let them fight."

"This India is now similar to the late Tang Dynasty. There are many military governors and vassal towns are divided. No matter how bad the unity is, it is stronger than the best division when facing external threats of crushing level."

"If you want to succeed, I think you have to intervene in the struggle between the Indian Jiedu Envoys. It's nothing more than an old incident involving Yelu Deguang and Youyun Sixteen States."

"As for the rule of the people's hearts, a man in troubled times is not as good as a dog in a prosperous time. Fight back and forth. If you can cede land, as long as you maintain tax revenue and ensure peace, I don't think there is any problem."

"But the key is to find ways to weaken our 'allies'. The British are in the north, and the Dutch cities we can grab are all in the south. The French are also in the south. If our 'allies' are not weakened, I'm afraid You want to start a conflict with us."

"Even if the French are stupid and don't have so much history to draw lessons from, they don't know how to support puppets and wait and ask for prices. If they see us doing this, they should learn it. I think Dupleix is ​​not stupid. ”

"Therefore, it is best to let our 'allies' be powerless and adopt the mentality of 'Although Dashun is disgusting, the British are even more disgusting'."

"However, this is not my business. This is the business of the Jinghou, the court, and the emperor. I am just responsible for seizing the opportunity to fight."

…………

Meanwhile, Fort St. David in England.

Clive, who had just turned 20, had become the standard-bearer of the army stationed in Fort St. David. Major Lawrence of the garrison liked this young, wild, and villain-like young man very much.

Clive's experience, after his boasting, had become quite famous in Fort St. David.

Thanks to his father's relationship, he was sent to the East India Company that year and got a position in the Dashun Trading House. This was a good job within the East India Company.

The trading house was in Songjiang, which was a prosperous city, and the climate was more pleasant than India. India was too hot, there were too many epidemics and tropical diseases, and the urban construction was far behind that of Dashun's Jiangnan.

Since Dashun opened up the Hong Kong trade, everyone knew that working in the trading house stationed in Dashun was a good job.

There was no war, no tropical diseases, a pleasant climate, a good income, good food, and some Chinese specialty goods could be brought back to China, so they could make a fortune when they returned. When you retire, you can receive an annuity and live a carefree life.

Of course, no war means no opportunity to make achievements. But the things like making achievements and establishing careers are usually the top people of the East India Company, how can a soldier have a turn?

The colonial garrisons are nothing good. Who would join the army if they had a better life? Or if they have a stronger family background, the British army can buy an official position, so why not buy a captain?

The garrisons have no choice but to join the army, just to make a living.

Like Clive, he gave up a good job as a clerk in the Dashun Trading House and ran from Songjiang to India to join the army, which is already legendary enough.

The garrison major Stringer Lawrence encouraged his ambition and communicated with him several times. He felt that this kid had ambition, courage, and was a qualified villain. He was simply born for the army.

Soon, this young man who gave up the comfortable life in the Dashun Trading House was promoted to the garrison standard bearer and his adjutant. Major Stringer Lawrence intended to promote this young man because most soldiers were scum and had no ambition or dream. People like Clive were rare and could not fail to impress people.

In history, many, many years later, Clive recalled his success in India and was humble for once: "My success in India should be thanked most for the inefficient and incompetent French navy with civilian supervision. They hardly showed up in India. Dupleix did not fail, but the French navy failed."

And now, he is just a rising little man, neither qualified to praise the opponent he defeated nor the opportunity to praise the defeated opponent.

Because the situation of Britain in southern India was suppressed by Dupleix.

In the summer, the company's people were ready to take the initiative. Anyway, Europe had already started, so it was better to seize the opportunity to rob the French cargo ship that sold ginseng and sable fur to Dashun, and then cooperate with land and sea to capture the local governance.

Fort St. David, where Clive was located, was not far south of the local governance, only about 40 miles away. To the north is the French local administration, and to the north is the British Madras.

The plan at that time was for the navy to besiege Pondicherry, Madras and Fort St. David, advancing from north to south, and directly destroying the French stronghold.

But Clive, with his superb diplomatic skills, made the governor of the Carnatic Province of India give the British a harsh word: Don't make trouble. Don't fight. If you do, I will send troops to attack Madras. You are just temporarily staying under my jurisdiction for trade. Don't start a war on my territory.

The British have not yet gained confidence. The Carnatic governor still has tens of thousands of troops in his hands. Just looking at the number, it is scary to death. The British really dare not move.

This Fort St. David can obviously threaten the French local administration at any time, but it was turned into a dead place that Dupleix used political means to make it dare not move.

The advantage is obviously on the British side, but it has been dragged until now, and the advantage has become on the French side.

Fort St. David is preparing for war these days because news has come from above that the French ally, the Dashun Navy, is heading to Pondicherry.

The French, with the cooperation of the Dashun Navy, are likely to launch an attack.